Gyral wheel



Snowdon A. MOORE GYRAL WHEEL 2 Sheets-Sheet June 12, 17928.

Original Filed Aug. 22. 1922 June 12, 192s.` 1,673,774

A. MOORE GYHAL WHE E L original Filed Aug. 22. 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2nvahtoc Wm@ @51, a@ @1W www Patented .lune 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARLINGTON MoORE,oE NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSTGNOR To MOORE INVENTIONScORroRA- TION, OE WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A OORPORATION OEMASSACHUSETTS.

` 'GYRAL WHEEL.

Application filled August 22, 1922, SerialNo. 586,637. Renewed May 27,1927.

My invention relates to what I prefer to call a gyral Wheel to be usedfor sport and exercise, principally by children.

According to my invention a wheel or rim: is provided with anopencenter, and a circular track is provided therein. An open framework ismounted to turn in the. wheel, as upon rollers, and said frame isprovided with a footsupport or -footsupports and a `handle or handles,so that they user may support his weight within the frame, and, holdingto thehandle or handles, may-propel himself together with the wheel, as'by pushing with one foot upon the roadway or by alternately throwing hisweight backward and forward, or in other ways. When the user .is inerect position, the de- Avice is usually so held that the upper part ofthe wheel passes overthe users shoulder, f but when coasting thet usermay stoop so that the upper part of the wheel passes over his head. I'The device may be used by two persons standing with one foot each uponthe footsupport, each holding to a handle upon oppositesides of theframe, and may b e used forv sport and exercise in a great variety ofways.

Embodiments of the invention, Selected for the purpose of illustrationonly, and not for limitation, are shown in the accompanying drawing.Fig. 1 is a side view.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2 2, y

Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the broken line 3 3, Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and5 are crosssectional detail views showing modified forms of track androller constructions. Fig. 6 illustrates the device with a user instarting position about to shove off. Figs. 7 and 8 are views showingthe device with the user throwing his weight back and forwardrespectively. Fig. 9 illustrates the coasting position, the userCrouching within the Wheel, and Fig. 10 is a rear view showing how theupper part of the wheel passes over the shoulder of the user when thelatter is in erect position.

The open center wheel is designated generally by reference numeral 10,and While the diameter of the opening in the center may be substantiallysmaller than the diameter of the wheel, it is preferably made asv largeas possible, the wheel comprising merely a rim which maybe provided onthe Outside with a tire or other wearing surface,

vtrack for the rollers to run in.

and on the inside with a' track for the frame rollers to run in.

Inthe vform shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the wheel rim is made of doublechannel section comprising an outer portion 11 having a rounded groovefor the reception of the, rubber or other tire 12, andan inner channel13 provided with ak groove 14 for receiving the frame rollers andproviding a The frame, which is adapted to turn within the open Space inthe wheel, may be yof various forms. l have shown a frame-15 ofsubstantially L-form comprising the. lusual upi'ight portion 16 to whichthe handles' 17 are secured, and the portion 18 preferably at rightangles thereto having a depressed center' portion 19 to which thefootsupport 20 is secured'. The frame is made of anysuitable material,as, for example, from Iwelded pipe or tubing as in the manner of theordinary bicycle frame, and is preferablyv suitably bracedV .as by meansof the angle brace 21, which is shown as being .provided with footrests22, 22.

Frame 15 is provided with rollers 23 to run in the track 14. 'In theform shown there are three of these rollers, one at each of the outerends of the frame members 16 and 18, andthe other one at theintersection of these members. The rollers are preferably Of the ballbearing type as shown in Fig. 3, but plain rollers may be used as shownin Fig. 4.

In the modified form of Fig. 4, the rubber Or other Separate tire isdispensed with and the metal frame 10a runs directly on the roadway, therollers 24 running in the grooved track 14a.

The rim 10b of the modified form illustrated in Fig. 5 is made flat onits inner side as shown at 25, and the rollers 26 are provided withflanges 27, 27 in order to keep the rollers in place within the Wheel,and various other formations of rollers and tracks may be resorted to,if desired.

The handles 17 are preferably provided with downwardly extendingportions 28 to enable the user to hold on to the handles when hangingout to one side, as, for example, in turning corners and the like. Thefootsupport 2O is preferably bolted on the frame member 19, as shown at29, Fig. 2, to afford a frictional mounting for the foot support 20, sothat same, while normally assuming the position shown in Fig. 2, may beturned to one side or the other in use against ,the frictionalAresistanceroi' its boltedup mounting, to enable the support to .be

`the frame totake 4up different positions lin the Wheel flOoasathefsameis rocked therein.

' vVhile the iframe is Aordinarily held in :slightly tilted .positionso'as to cause the upper portion voi fthe AWheel to pass -over the'shoulderof the luser standing in verectA po- --si,t1on,:.as whenstriking the ground with his footlor otherwise effecting propulsionottheapparatus; when coasting 4 the user -may Vtake a stooping positiornsothatftlie Wheel stands upright, -ithe `upper `portion passing iover theusers'head. 'Theltwo sidesiof the apparatus beingpreierably identical,the deviceis Well adapted Afor =usefbyltwo persons,one on one:sideandkone on fthe fother,'and having the right and left footrespectively on the footsupport 20. The uses .referred to are, ofcourse, l:by :Way of .eXampleanereil-y, and'it Will he .obvious that thedevice may be made use of for purposes of .exercise and .sport in agreat variety off different ways. Y l

'I claim: e

1. In a device of the class described, a Wheel With an open center, acircular track Within the zwheehna substantially L-shaped frame providedWith rollers to run in said itrack, one of the Imembers of the:le-shaped 'frame Shaving a irootsupport irictionally A and pivotal'lyzmounted lthereon `rsol that fit is adapted to be #turned fromrAside-tofsidea the other member Lo'f fthe frame being provided With ahandle, landa brace `connecting the tvvo membersof ithe .iframe fand theyfootres't fon fthe brace Y y2. ln a ldevice of ithe class `described,fa

Wheel having fan open center. Aand fhavingsa circular-track Vin itsopeninterior, `a--siibstanitially Leshaped-frameii'n said :Wheeliandprovided 'vvith -a pluralityof rollers Tunning in said ftrack, aIo'otiest. having a Apiv'oted frictional jmountingfonthe ilovverimemberoffsaid V frame, a pair-of handles on the Lot-'her memibenoit' saidiframe, fabrace:connectingitheitwo `frame fmembers, :and a -rpair ofootrests one -onieach-fisideof 'said brace. v

lIn :testimony whereof, ,EI vhave Asigned im name hereto.

\ ARLINGTON MOORE.

